REVIEW: ‘Amazing Spider-Man,’ Issue #66

Amazing Spider-Man #66 is written by Nick Spencer, penciled by Mark Bagley, inked by John Dell, colored by Brian Reber, and lettered by VC’s Joe Caramagna. It is published by Marvel Comics. Taking place in the wake of “King’s Ransom,” Spidey and his fellow Avengers discuss what to do about the Kingpin. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn reconnects with Kindred, J. Jonah Jameson deals with the fallout of Spidey quitting his new job, and Mary Jane Watson is pulled into a search for one of Peter Parker’s friends.

If that seems like a lot, that’s because it is. This issue feels like less of a coda and more set up for future stories to be explored in upcoming issues of Amazing Spider-Man. “Last Remains,” while overall a good story, suffered from a similar issue as it felt like the main storyline had come to a natural conclusion. While Spencer is usually a solid writer, I feel he could have saved one or two of these plots for a future issue—namely the Jameson one, as it’s fairly brief and not as huge as the revelations surrounding Kindred or MJ. Also, Spidey is barely the focus of his own book, which is less than ideal.

Another story element I’m not comfortable with is the suggestion that Luke Cage makes about potentially forcibly removing Wilson Fisk from office. I know that Fisk is one of the worst villains in the Marvel Universe, and “King’s Ransom” showed him abusing his power as the mayor of New York to hunt down Boomerang. However, there are some lines that heroes shouldn’t cross—despite the fact that Lex Luthor is one of his worst enemies, Superman didn’t impede the electoral process that made him president in the DC Universe. Suggesting that an elected official should be removed by force has an uncomfortable ring to it—especially given what happened at the Capitol in January.

Despite the scattershot storytelling, Bagley and Dell excel at illustrating Spidey and his various allies and foes. Kindred, once a terrifying and inhuman force, expresses genuine fear within this issue. Robbie Robertson and Tombstone actually look happy to see each other. And when he appears as Peter Parker, Spidey has a pensive look on his face—which is understandable, given the turns his life can take. Reber uses a muted color palette throughout the entire issue, casting shadows over characters’ faces and reflecting the mood that Spidey—and by extension, other characters—is going through.

Bagley has a sense of scale that also permeates the issue. Spidey is often shown sticking to walls and looking down on folks—something that Wolverine sardonically comments on. And of course, Kingpin towers over everyone. But the image that stands out to me the most is Kindred at the mercy of Mordo. Again, this is a character who’s tormented Spidey throughout Spencer’s run; seeing him on the proverbial ropes is quite a shock.

Amazing Spider-Man #66 feels rather disjointed, opting to set up a number of plot points for future stories that don’t fully cohere. It does continue to prove that Mark Bagley is one of the best Spider-Man artists in the business. Hopefully, the next story arc will be smoother, more engaging, and sticks the landing.

Amazing Spider-Man #66 is available wherever comics are sold.